<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<link href="CSS/myMenuCss.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

<title>Countries</title>
</head>
   
<body>
<div id="menu">
<div id="TitleBackground">Travel Dream</div>

<ul>
   <li><a href = "MyWebPage.html">Home</a>
   <ul>
   <li><a href = "AboutTheSite.html">About The Site</a></li>
   </ul>
   </li>
  </ul>

<ul>
   <li><a href = "Countries.html">Countries</a>
   <ul>
   <li><a href = "CountriesCoVe.html">Colombia & Venezuela</a></li>
   <li><a href = "CountriesPeCR.html">Peru & Costa Rica</a></li>
   <li><a href = "CountriesAuTN.html">Aruba & Netherlands</a></li>
   </ul>
   </li>
  </ul>
   
<ul>  
   <li><a href = "AsiaSide.html">My Wish List</a>
   <ul>
   <li><a href = "AsiaCountries.html">Asia Side</a></li>
   </ul>
   </li>
  </ul>

<ul>
   <li><a href = "Gallery.html">Gallery</a></li>
  </ul>


<h1 class="center"><img src="Pictures/Flags&Names/arubaName.jpg" width="230" height="90" align="center" /></h1>
<hr />
<h2 class="center"><img src="Pictures/Flags&Names/Flag_Aruba.jpg" width="320" height="200" align="left"/>Aruba’s pristine, white-sand beaches and calm turquoise waters are unlike any others. TripAdvisor.com recently named Eagle Beach one of the top ten beaches in the world.</h2>
<hr />
<h3 class="center">Location, Language and Capital</h3>
<p class="center">Aruba, an island slightly larger than Washington, DC, lies 18 mi (28.9 km) off the coast of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean.

The Arawak Indians were the first inhabitants of Aruba. Spain explored the island in 1499, and more than a century later the Netherlands (1636) claimed the island. After a brief rule by the British, the Dutch again took control of the island in 1816, and it officially became part of the Netherlands Antilles in 1845.

On Jan. 1, 1986, Aruba seceded from the federation, but it decided in 1994 to postpone indefinitely the transition to full independence. The Netherlands controls Aruba's defense and foreign affairs, but all internal affairs are handled by an island government directing its own civil service, judiciary, revenue, and currency. Oranjestad (Dutch, literally "Orange Town") is the capital and largest city of Aruba. Oranjestad is located on the southern coast near the western end of the island country. In the local language, Papiamento, Oranjestad is often referred to simply as "Playa". As of 2010 the population of the capital was estimated at just under 30,000. Dutch and the local language of Papiamento are the official languages of Aruba, but most Arubans speak a minimum of four languages including English and Spanish.
</p>
<h3 class="center">Climate</h3>
<p class="center">In Aruba the people don't take the online weather services too seriously. They don't need to. Around here, "sunny and warm" is not news. With an average rainfall of less than 20 inches a year, an average daytime temperature of 82° Fahrenheit (27° Celsius), a location completely outside the hurricane belt, and the constant cooling influence of the trade winds, Aruba is one of the most temperate islands in the Caribbean.

The difference between median day and night temperatures, and between summer and winter temperatures, is just 3.6°. The rainfall occurs mainly in short showers during November and December.</p>
<h3 class="center">Religion & Culture</h3>
<h4 class="center">Religion</h4>
<p class="center">Most of Aruba’s inhabitants are Catholic. But, just as so many nationalities live harmoniously side by side, so it is with those of other religious beliefs. Tourists are welcome at all houses of worship. Services are in Papiamento unless otherwise noted below.</p>
<h4 class="center">Culture</h4>
<p class="center">One of the most know festivals in Aruba is the Carnival.It is considered like a culture. It is a thrilling show of over-the-top pageantry, produced by thousands and delighting and uniting the entire country.</p>

<h3 class="center">Cuisine, Family and Society</h3>
<h4 class="center">Cuisine</h4>
<p class="center"> In the traditional menu maize dishes ( funchi , pan bati ), goat meat, fish, and stoba —stewpots of local vegetables (peas, beans) dominate. Nowadays, rice, chicken, beef, and fish are eaten most. The number one snack is the pastechi , a small pie filled with cheese or beef. International food chains and Chinese, Italian, and other ethnic restaurants have gained popularity. Most food products are imported.</p>
<h4 class="center">Family and Society</h4>
<p class="center">The number of women in the labor market has increased enormously. Unemployment for women is higher than for men. Women tend to leave the labor force at an earlier age than men do. Women outnumber men in service and sales positions. The minimum wage for men and women is the same. Discriminatory rules, which hampered female participation in the civil service, have been removed. Nevertheless, men continue to hold the more important positions. Monogamy and legal marriage are the norm, but extramarital and premarital relations are common. There is a high percent of Aruban-born men and Aruban women marrying non-Arubians. One cause of this is that by marrying Arubians, foreigners can obtain much-desired Dutch nationality. Education is based on the Dutch system. At the age of four children attend kindergarten and after age six they attend primary school. After age twelve they enroll in secondary or vocational schools. After secondary education many students leave for Holland for further studies.</p>
<h3 class="center">Plan your trip to Aruba</h3>
<p class="center">If you are planning to visit Aruba the first I recoment you is to go around the beaches. Aruba is know for it white sand and beautiful beaches. You will enjoy this the most together with nice weather. Aruba is also known for its windsurfing and kitesurfing, thanks to the constant trade winds. Aruba's sun is strongest from 11 am – 3 pm. I recoment you to reapply sunscreen often and drink plenty of liquids. Sunglasses and a hat/cap are recommended.</p>



<hr />
<h1 class="center"><img src="Pictures/Flags&Names/neth-MMAP-md.png" width="200" height="150" align="center" /></h1>
<hr />
<h2 class="center"><img src="Pictures/Flags&Names/Netherlands-flag.jpg" width= "300" height="220" align="left"/> The Netherlands is the fourth most densely populated country in the world. Everyday life is structured down to the smallest detail. Today it is a modern, industrialized nation and the third largest exporter of food. </h2>
<hr />
<h3 class="center">Location, Language and Capital</h3>
<p class="center">The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of twelve provinces in North-West Europe and three islands in the Caribbean. The European part of the Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders with Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. It is a parliamentary democracy organised as a unitary state. The capital is Amsterdam and the seat of government is The Hague. What makes Amsterdam so attractive is the 17th century historical atmosphere combined with the mentality of a modern metropolis creating a friendly and relaxed environment. The small scale of the buildings and the intimacy of the streets, canals and squares create an atmosphere that visitors find unique. The Netherlands in its entirety is often referred to as "Holland", although North and South Holland are actually only two of its provinces. The official language in the Netherlands are Dutch and Frisian</p>
<h4 class="center">Climate</h4>
<p class="center">The Netherlands have a temperate maritime climate influenced by the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, with cool summers and moderate winters. Daytime temperatures varies from 2°C-6°C in the winter and 17°C-20°C in the summer.

Since the country is small there is little variation in climate from region to region, although the marine influences are less inland. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with a dryer period from April to September.</p>
<h3 class="center">Society & Religion and cuisine</h3>
<h4 class="center">Society</h4>
<p class="center">With its 16 million inhabitants--16 728 091 (January 2012) the Netherlands is the fourth most densely populated country in the world. Everyday life is structured down to the smallest detail. Private life and work are carefully planned and nothing is left to the unexpected. Ad hoc changes are not appreciated.The Netherlands is a democracy with a tolerant, open society. The Dutch are mistakenly called stingy. But in reality they simply hate to waste everything from food to money. Maybe it is this virtue that made this small country an economic world power. The Netherlands has an egalitarian society. Status and respect are obtained through study and work and not through family ties or old age. Every person is equal and should be treated accordingly, which may be difficult for foreigners to understand. The Dutch directness in the communication with foreigners regularly causes misunderstandings. Unable to make things understood through context and unable to read context, the Dutch express themselves verbally. They speak in a friendly tone in rather short, clear, sober sentences lacking any form of politeness or courtesy. The Dutch are distrustful of very polite conversations, afraid that an unpleasant message may be hidden which they are unable to detect. Being very nice may awaken the suspicion that one is in need of a special favor. Politeness may also cause irritation as it is considered a waste of time. Despite having a very open and individualistic society, when it comes to the family nucleus, it is a hermetically closed circle. The family nucleus is detached from the extended family. Adult brothers and sisters usually see each other only on birthday celebrations, weddings and funerals. There is no moral obligation to take care of extended family members or elderly parents.</p>
<h4 class="center">Religion</h4>
<p class="center">70 percent of the Dutch do not attend church anymore, Calvinism still strongly influences their values and beliefs. This Protestant Christian religion, introduced in the 16th century, dictates individual responsibility for moral salvage from the sinful world through introspection, total honesty, soberness, rejection of pleasure and the enjoyment of wealth.</p>
<h4 class="center">Cuisine</h4>
<p class="center">The Dutch don’t have a specific cuisine. You can find a regular meal of potatoes, vegetables and meat just as easily as a proper Indian, Chinese, Surinam, Turkish, Italian or Mediterranean meal. We simply like everything.

Breakfast and lunch are simple meals of bread, fruit and dairy products. Supper is usually a warm meal between 6 and 7 o’clock. Keep in mind that most kitchens in restaurants tend to close between 9 and 10 o’clock.  </p>
<h3 class="center">Plan your trip to The Netherlands</h3>
<p class="center">The Netherlands, famous for art, canals, ice skating, tulips, windmills, wooden shoes, and the city of Amsterdam, is a paradise for visitors. The entire country is brimming with grand architecture, world-class museums and other interesting attractions for the entire family.Take a canal tour of Amsterdam and discover the historical canal district. The best way to get around Amsterdam is on a bike. You won’t become any more local than by cycling around Amsterdam.</p>


</div>
</body>
</html>


